Ashley Rouse of East Cobb on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Ashley Rouse shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Ashley, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I’m being called to fully lean into my creativity—and to trust it enough to monetize it. For many years, I made money doing things that didn’t bring me joy or fulfillment because I believed stability had to come at the expense of purpose. Creativity was always there, but I was taught—directly and indirectly—that it wasn’t a “real” skill or a viable profession.

Now, I’m learning that my creativity is the calling God placed on my life. Not just to create for myself, but to use it as a tool to serve others and uplift my greater community. Stepping into that fully has required unlearning fear, scarcity, and old narratives around worth and work. This season is about trusting that what lights me up is also what I’m meant to build from—and allowing creativity to be both my purpose and my livelihood.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’ve always believed we’re meant to do more than one thing—and do it well. Inspired early on by figures like Martha Stewart, I never subscribed to the idea that creativity should be confined to a single lane. My career has been shaped by that belief, moving fluidly across food, design, branding, and business.

I began in culinary school and professional kitchens, which led to building and scaling food brands, designing products, curating homes, and telling stories through lifestyle and commerce. While my path may look nonlinear, each chapter has given me a holistic understanding of how creativity and strategy work together to build sustainable brands.

Today, I’m the founder of rouse like house creative house, a creative agency and consulting founders on how to show up boldly through branding, design, and smart business systems. The work is grounded in lived experience—I’ve built and pivoted my own million-dollar brand—so the strategies I offer are practical, not theoretical.

Most recently, I co-founded Good Old Fashioned Lovers with my husband, a beverage and lifestyle brand rooted in community, culture, and craft. At the core of everything I do is a belief that success without fulfillment (and faith) isn’t success at all—and that creativity, when trusted, can be both purposeful and profitable.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was bold, determined, gritty, and unapologetically strong-willed. I spoke plainly, trusted my instincts, and didn’t dilute myself to make others comfortable. I knew who I was—even if I didn’t yet have the language for it. Over time, the world tried to edit me. It told me that as a woman and a business owner I needed to be strong but nice, outspoken but quiet, kind even when disrespected. I spent years unlearning those contradictions and reclaiming the parts of myself I was encouraged to soften or silence. Today, I stand fully in who I am—as a woman, a mother, and an entrepreneur. Every season has refined me, not tamed me. I’ve found my voice, my boundaries, and my power—and I have no interest in shrinking myself.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I didn’t almost give up—I did give up. I closed my eight-year company, Trade Street Jam Co., after pouring everything I had into it with the goal of building and eventually selling it for millions. Walking away wasn’t easy, and it certainly wasn’t part of the original plan.

But there is real power in giving up—especially when holding on is costing you your health. The idea that we should never give up can be deeply exhausting and, at times, harmful. I reached a point where I was depleted, my mental health was suffering, and forcing myself to keep going no longer felt brave—it felt reckless.

After months of fighting, something shifted. God placed the word ‘surrender’ on my heart, and I knew it was time. Not just to shut the business down, but to release the belief that this one path defined my entire purpose. Trade Street was meaningful, but it wasn’t my only calling. Letting go created space for alignment, healing, and the work I’m doing now. In hindsight, that “giving up” wasn’t failure—it was obedience, clarity, and the beginning of something better.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
My husband’s. I trust him completely—both personally and professionally. He knows me deeply and often sees things in me and my ideas before I do. He’s intelligent, honest, and kind, with a sharp understanding of the marketing and beverage space, paired with wisdom that only comes from lived experience. He’s been through life-altering moments that have shaped the way he thinks, leads, and shows up, and that perspective is invaluable. I run nearly every idea by him—not for validation, but for clarity. His insight helps me refine my thinking, challenge my assumptions, and move forward with confidence.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m with my husband and our two daughters. Being a mother is a core part of my purpose, and the joy, safety, and love we share grounds me in a way nothing else can. Their happiness means everything to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rouselikehouse.com
• Instagram: @rouselikehouseinc